Box containing one or more superposed stacks of flat objects



J. P. ROKS May 28, 1963 BOX CONTAINING ONE OR MORE SUPERPOSED STACKS OF FLAT OBJECTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 2, 1960 FIG. 1

INVENTOR JOHANNES P ROKS AGEN May 28, 1963 J. P. ROKS BOX CONTAINING ONE OR MORE SUPERPOSED STACKS OF FLAT OBJECTS Filed NOV. 2, 1960 FIG.2

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIGJ FIG.7

l NVENT OR JOHANNES P. ROKS BY W AGENfig United States Patent 4 Claims. (Cl. Mid-60) If a stack of flat objects is to be packed in a box and if such a box is larger than the transverse dimensions of the objects, it is common practice to fill the spaces be tween the vertical walls of the box with filling pieces. Such filling pieces in certain cases consist of plate-shaped material that has been rolled up, such as rolled corrugated paper or corrugated cardboard. Especially if a box is used to despatch therein a plurality of superposed stacks of flat objects and the objects associated with a given stack have the same transverse dimensions, but the objects associated with different stacks have different transverse dimensions, the packing of such boxes takes up comparatively much time and material due to the unavoidable use of the rolled filling pieces. In addition, there is not sufficient security that, despite the precautions taken, the objects do not laterally shift in the box during transport. Such shifting could result in breakage if the objects are, for example, gramophone records or other objects which are easily damaged. An object of the present invention is to provide means which permit of obviating this disadvantage in a simple manner.

It relates to a box containing one or more superposed stacks of flat objects, wherein the objects associated with a given stack have the same transverse dimensions and wherein the space or spaces between one or more of the vertical walls of the box and the objects is or are filled by means of filling pieces of plate-shaped material. A box according to the invention is characterized in that each filling piece comprises at least one strip-shaped part the width of which fits between the side of the relevant stack and the opposing wall of the box and which extends obliquely along the sides of the objects of this stack, each strip-shaped part being provided, at each end with a transverse tongue which bears against the upper side and the lower side, respectively, of the relevant stack.

By proceeding in this way it is possible, when using filling pieces cut to the desired shape and dimensions, highly to accelerate the packing of such fiat objects in boxes. In addition, stacks of objects having different transverse dimensions can be packed in the same box without any risk of the objects being shifted laterally, if one has at ones disposal filling pieces of different dimensions which match the transverse dimensions of the objects to be packed in such a box.

If objects are to be packed in a box which have transverse dimensions smaller than the transverse dimension of the box, use may be made of a substantially V-shaped filling piece, in which event the corner point of the V- shape bears for example, against the upper side of a stack and the two ends of the V-shape bear against the lower side of a stack of objects. However, as a rule, two distance pieces for each stack of objects can be handled more quickly. It will be evident that each stack may comprise an arbitrary number of the relevant objects. In the case under consideration, the term stack also includes the case where the stacks comprises only one object.

In one embodiment of the invention in which a box contains one or more stacks of gramophone records packed in rectangular coverings, this box with its con tents is characterized in that the transverse tongues pro- 3&91530 Patented May 28, 1963 vided on the filling pieces are so proportioned as to contact the stack, along the side of which the relevant filling piece extends in an inclined direction, only at the corners projecting from the records. The advantage is thus obtained that the filling pieces press as little as possible or not at all on the records and, furthermore, that the dimensions of the filling in the box in the direction of height is limited as far as possible.

In order that the invention may be readily carried into effect, it will now be described in detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an open box containing two stacks of gramophone records, the records associated with these stacks having different transverse dimensions. For the sake of clarity, a fragment of the front wall and a fragment of one side wall of the box are omitted;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the open box without contents;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the objects having the largest transverse dimension;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the objects having the smallest transverse dimensions;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are plan views of two identical filling pieces as used in the box shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view on a variant of a filling piece which may replace the two filling pieces shown in FIG- URES 5 and 6.

The prismatic box shown has a square basic surface. The space proper of this box is indicated by 1. The box has a base 2, vertical side walls 3, 4, 5, 6 and a cover 7 which is secured to the side wall 5 through a folding line. The cover 7 has a closure tongue 8.

The box shown is intended for the despatch of gramophone records. In practice it frequently occurs that records of different dimensions are to be despatched to one address. In this case one has to choose between despatching the records of different transverse dimen sions either in different boxes, each matched to the records to be packed therein, or in one box only. However, it is then necessary to take steps in order to prevent the smaller records from sliding to and fro in the box. This may be achieved by means of filling pieces, for example of corrugated paper which has been rolled or stacked. However, such a system has the disadvantage, more particularly if more than two kinds of records of different dimensions are to be packed in one box, that such packing and manufacturing of the filling pieces takes much time, material and attention.

These disadvantages are obviated in an efficaceous manner by using the filling pieces of plate-shaped material for example of corrugated paper or corrugated cardboard, indicated by 9 and 10 in FIGURE 1.

The structure, the arrangement and the operation of such filling pieces will now be explained more fully with reference to FIGURES 2 to 6.

The space of the box shown in FIGURE 2 has internal transverse dimensions of a value a. The value a corresponds, when disregarding unavoidable tolerances, substantially to the external dimension b of square coverings 11 of the records having the largest transverse dimen sions. A stack 13 of gramophone records packed in their covering 11 may thus be disposed on the base of the box as a fit between its side walls.

However, the gramophone records and the associated coverings 12, which must be placed as a stack 14 on the stack 13 of the largest records, have smaller dimensions. As can be seen from FIGURE 4, the coverings 12 associated with the upper stack 14 have transverse dimensions c, which dimension, again disregarding tolerances, is smaller by an amount 0! than the dimension b of the coverings 11. The filling pieces now used are formed by the aforementioned elements 9' and 111 shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, which are each others mirror images in the drawing and may thus be manufactured with the aid of the same cutting tools by turning through 180. The elements9'an'd 10 have strip-shaped portions and 16 respectively, the width e of which corresponds to the value d of FIGURE 4, again disregarding the unavoidable tolerances. The strip-shaped portions merge, at their ends, into transverse tongues 17, 13 and 19, 2% respectively. The total length 1 of the filling pieces corresponds to the dimensions a of the space of the box. If the stack 14 is to be housed in the box, the filling pieces shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 are arranged over the two sides of the stack 14 visible in FIGURE 1 so that the tongues 18' and 2t bear above on the stack 14, the stripshaped portions 13 and 16 extend obliquely along the side of the stack, and the tongues 17 and 19 are provided beneath the stack 14. Thus, each record packed in a covering is individually supported at its edges not engaging the walls of the box by means of a portion of the inner walls 15a and 16a of the filling pieces 9 and 10, the points of contact between the objects and the filling pieces being located diagonally below one another. Since, as shown in dashed lines in FIGURES 5 and 6, the hills and dalesof'the undulation are situated transversely to the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped portions of the filling pieces, one thus highly benefits of the rigidity of the corrugated card-board of which the filling pieces are made. On the other hand, the indicated direction of the hills and dales makes it possible for the filling pieces to be bent in the manner shown in FIGURE 1 so that the transverse tongues 17, 18, 19 and 2% lie substantially in a horizontal plane and the strip-shaped portions extend obliquely along the stacks in the manner shown.

Instead of using the two strip-shaped filling pieces, it also sufiices to use a single V-shaped filling piece for a stack, such as shown, for example, in FIGURE 7. If use is made of such a single filling piece, strip-shaped portions 25 and 26 extend obliquely along the adjacent vertical sides of a given stack, transverse tongues 27 and 28 serving as'the two transverse tongues which bear against the relevantstack at the top or at the bottom. A common projection 29, which connects the strip-shaped portions 25 and 26, serves both for the strip 25 and the strip-26 at the same time as the other transverse tongue.

It will be evident that, according as a stack co-operating witha filling piece is higher, the strip-shaped portions of the filling pieces co-operating with such a stack are more sloped in the box. It is immaterial that the distance between the transverse tongues of a strip-shaped portion, as measured in the horizontal plane, thus becomes smaller, since the filling action need be exerted by a givenfilling piece only in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped portion of such a filling piece.

It will be evident that more than the two illustrated stacks of fiat objects may be housed in a given box in the described manner. With the filling pieces to be used, the dimension e and the distance '5 between the adjacent edges of the tongues 17 and 18 must always be matched to the conditions prevailing.

As a rule, any material which is slightly rigid and flexible may be used for the filling pieces so that, for example, straw cardboard enters into account in addition to the aforesaid corrugated paper and corrugated cardboard.

If desired, the filling pieces may have recesses which facilitate the removal of the filling pieces from the box. For the filling pieces shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, such recesses are indicated by 30 and 31.

By means of suitable shaping of the filling pieces, it may be ensured that, in the case of gramophone records, the transverse tongues bear on the corners of the coverings which project from the records packed therein.

Other fiat objects, more particularly fragile objects, may also be packed in the indicated manner.

Finally, such' a system of filling pieces may also be used in other boxes and more particularly in angular boxes, for example rectangular boxes.

What is claimed is:

l. A box comprising a plurality of discrete superposed stacks of fiat objects, one of said stacks of objects being of substantially less transverse dimension than the corresponding dimensions of the interior of said box, a filling means having a first portion intermediate said stacks and second portion supported on top of the uppermost object of the smaller stack and an intermediate portion bearing obliquely against the sides of said smaller stack and the adjacent interior side wall of said box.

2. A box as according to claim 1 wherein said filling means comprises a first portion having transverse tongue members at each end thereof and positioned intermediate said stacks.

3. A box according to claim 1 wherein said filling means comprises a substantially V-shaped intermediate portion having inwardly transverse tongue members at References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,502,214 Gianninoto Mar. 28, 1950 2,600,927 Scoville June 17, 1952 2,807,359 McKie'rnan Sept. 24, 1957 

1. A BOX COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF DISCRETE SUPERPOSED STACKS OF FLAT OBJECTS, ONE OF SAID STACKS OF OBJECTS BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY LESS TRANSVERSE DIMENSION THAN THE CORRESPONDING DIMENSIONS OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID BOX, A FILLING MEANS HAVING A FIRST PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID STACKS AND SECOND PORTION SUPPORTED ON TOP OF THE UPPERMOST OBJECT OF THE SMALLER STACK AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION BEARING OBLIQUELY AGAINST THE SIDE OF SAID SMALLER STACK AND THE ADJACENT INTERIOR SIDE WALL OF SAID BOX. 